even if barack obama or bush wanted to, obviously the secret service would not let them get out of the limo and interfere with a mugging or run to a building. it's a different kind of job. it has a symbolic power. in the end we're not surprised when you see a mayor out at the site of an accident or pulling somebody out of a burning buildings, ultimately the mayor sees himself, herself, first of all, as a neighborhood. someone who has to solve problems. this is reflected by the way in the statistics. we know that the trust in public authorities in american throughout the western world and much of the world has plummeted. congress has 12% in some poll, the presidency, not this president, the 30 and 0th. this president is considered wildly popular because he has 52% support right now. the supreme court numbers have gone down. mayors and city counsel are still in the '70s and '80s. some say it's the hallow effect. you are exempt from the general critique. neighbors retain trust in democracy that has been largely lost elsewhere, which means also our relationship to our town and city and cit